Istishhad

Istishhad is the Arabic word for "martyrdom", "death of a martyr", or (in some contexts) "heroic death" The term istishhad has been redefined by Jihadists to emphasize the "heroism" of sacrifice, rather than portraying it as an act of victimization. This concept has evolved into a military and political strategy known among Jihadist groups as "Martyrdom operations" Jihadist terror groups, in particular Al-Qaeda, have "employed innovative modes of action and raised suicide terrorism’s level of destruction and fatalities to previously unknown heights" The rise of many martyrs in conflicts spanning regions such as Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, Iraq, and Iran has been accompanied by extensive literature glorifying their actions. With a martyr there is no suspense. Allah immediately bestows on the martyr the joy, the everlasting bliss and an immortal life. Those whose faith in the Creator is superfluous, can never solve the mystery of martyrdom. They feel puzzled as to why the Muslims, the true believers, appear eager to die in the way of Allah. But it is not suicide. Suicide implies termination of life, while martyrdom is continuation of life.